Chapter 187.1 – We Are V587 (2)
◎ Where to Get Fake IDs? ◎
“Hongchang is the largest shelter in the southeastern region of the Alliance, with many awakeners coming and going. Whether you want to find someone or inquire about information, you should be able to get some clues.” Jiang Rui turned his head from the co-pilot seat, explaining confidently.
“Well, I hope so.” Song Ke’s tone remained unchanged.
Affected by the apocalypse, most cities along the way were destroyed. She traveled for ten days using the Hornless Dragon gene, finally finding the surviving Zhilian.
Several modified off-road SUVs raced on the highway, the surrounding scenery rapidly receding.
Tian Yi, leaning on the front seat, asked curiously, “Su Cha, what level are you? Brother Jiang just advanced to B-level, but I think you’re even more powerful than him!”
Song Ke: “…” For some reason, the address “Su Cha” made her feel a bit uneasy.
“I think it’s A level!” Excitement filled the person in the same car.
“Maybe it’s S level.” A gaming enthusiast’s eyes sparkled. He had never seen a live S level before. It was all because Song Ke’s recent debut was so imposing, like a high-level player descending on a newbie village, effortlessly knocking out five bald guys with a snap of her fingers.
“No,” Song Ke’s face hid under the hood, only revealing slightly pink lips, “I’m stronger than S level.”
A super S-level awakener, as far as she knew, the Alliance seemed to have no conclusive evidence, not even the most advanced R-type mutant detector could measure it.
After Song Ke spoke, the car fell silent for two seconds.
After a while, someone dryly chuckled, “Master, you’re oddly humorous.”
Song Ke: “?” She was just telling the truth.
…
District C75, Hongchang Shelter.
Song Ke got off the car with the refugees. Looking into the distance, the complex building structure in front of her had different gates corresponding to different entrances, like a maze. If someone came here for the first time without a guide, they would definitely get lost. A small wave of zombies rushed into the periphery, and the walls automatically changed, clanging! They were all sealed into a secret room without missing one, and the guards jumped onto the wall, easily killing them with their abilities.
“The sound of roaring thunder, Xunfeng advance and retreat. Third Zhen, fourth Xun, then rotate to the right and move out.”
In the depths of memory, a clear and pleasant voice rang out.
In the depths of Song Ke’s heart, there was a subtle movement, as if she had once again seen those peach blossom eyes. The person speaking sighed helplessly at her. Who exactly was it?
Jiang Rui walked at the forefront, patiently introducing to everyone, “The designer of Hongchang and the creator of the Hua City (District D99) Bagua Array, Li Tong. The main buildings here are underground, with the surface mainly for functional and commercial areas. Follow me closely, and don’t get lost.”
Song Ke snapped back to reality, realizing her sense of direction was extremely poor. She quickly lifted her legs to catch up.
After wandering in the maze for half an hour, the scene suddenly cleared up. A lively street appeared in front of them, bustling with activity and filled with the scent of fireworks.
“Freshly harvested potatoes, corn, and chili, all from our own greenhouse. Taste it as you pass by!”
“Anyone completed the C-level monster hunting commission? We need two more AoE awakeners. Join the team, and we’ll set off.”
Several men and women stood on the roadside, relaxed and chatting:
“Captain Zhao, how have you been lately?”
“Hahaha! How did you know my wife gave birth?”
“The city area evaluation is coming up soon. Do you think Hongchang can move up to District B after joining the Bauhinia Alliance?”
“Forget about moving up to B-class. Shifting our trailing position forward might be possible. But I heard the biggest hope this time is in Shaye (District D88). Their leader, Qiongqi, is an S-level awakener, and their development momentum is too strong. They’re likely to directly jump from D to B!”
Song Ke passed by silently, and the people talking couldn’t help but glance at her, murmuring casually:
“Who’s this? Why is she bundled up so tightly in the middle of summer?”
“Is she mutating?”
“Shouldn’t be. It seems like she came back with Jiang Rui.”
“Go straight ahead, and you’ll reach the registration area. Tian Yi, take them there first.”
After arranging the refugees, Jiang Rui led the injured students to the medical station. At the entrance, a group of volunteers in uniform were busy. One of the girls looked familiar, surprisingly the long-unseen Zhou Anqi.
She had undergone significant changes; the arrogance and dominance on her face had long disappeared due to the blows of the apocalypse. Busy and fatigued, she had no time to think about trivial matters of love. Her gaze towards Jiang Rui was particularly open and sincere.
“Jiang Rui, is something wrong?”
“He got injured by an awakened ability. Could you take a look and help?”
Following the request, Zhou Anqi inquired a few questions from the injured person, helplessly shaking her head:
“I can only treat external injuries. It’s better if you see Dr. Liu; he’s a C-level. Let me help you get an appointment.”
“Thank you. Have you seen Zhang Hao?”
“He’s out on a commission with his girlfriend.”
Jiang Rui nodded without saying much, turning back to assist Tian Yi. With his tall and handsome appearance, distinct facial features, and a rare poised and stable temperament, he was like a stable star with high popularity in the shelter.
Song Ke heard their conversation clearly, her expression thoughtful. It reminded her of some past events, but she had no intention of approaching for recognition.
This is fine. Everyone is striving to live, and that’s good.
After strolling through the functional area and entering the awakener rest area, Song Ke took off her hood.
Her snow-white hair cascaded down, and she sat quietly, closing her eyes, resembling a valuable figurine.
Because of her unique appearance, people around kept stealing glances at her, and hushed whispers ensued:
“Look at that person, is it albinism? I heard they can’t be exposed to sunlight, or their skin develops red spots and blisters.”
“Oh? That’s so unfortunate. Radiation is already severe enough, and now a genetic disease too.”
“But she’s quite pretty, doesn’t look entirely human.”
Song Ke’s eyelids twitched, and her pink pupils turned towards the person who spoke last, “I am human.”
The discussion quieted down, and the guy with dyed hair sheepishly smiled at Song Ke.
Seizing the moment, Song Ke stood up and approached them. Up close, her appearance had a more significant visual impact – translucent skin like washed porcelain, with feathery eyelashes forming a graceful curve: “I want to ask about something. Do you know V587?”
In that unforgettable slogan, besides Su Cha’s name, “V587” also appeared.
The three of them were stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise:
“V587? Are you talking about the V587 who’s ranked first on the entire Alliance leaderboard? You can see it on the commission platform.”
The guy with dyed hair operated the public projection, and sure enough, V587 was prominently displayed at the top.
“Who are the people in V587?” Song Ke asked.
“I don’t know that. We can’t get in touch with the awakeners in District B.”
“I have some insider information,” the girl among the three, dressed in a tank top and hot pants, leaned in. “I heard they are all super attractive guys, the kind that scares kids and affects the city’s aesthetics. So, they rarely show their faces and just focus on accumulating points.”
Song Ke: “…” It sounded a bit absurd. Is it really the person she’s looking for?
“Where can I get a terminal?” Song Ke awkwardly changed the topic. “I accidentally lost mine.”
“You can buy one in the commercial district here, but the awakener ID can only be bound at the registration center. Judging by your appearance, you’re an awakener, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll help you check. The nearest awakener center is… Ferrara, District C72.”
Ferrara?
Neon signs, a giant Ferris wheel, massive advertising screens, slaughter, blood, competition…
Fragmented memories flashed by. Song Ke remained silent, and for her, Ferrara seemed like a familiar place.
Thinking she might be facing some difficulties, the guy with dyed hair, after discussing with his companions, took the initiative to invite, “Actually, we’ve taken a commission, and we’re leaving Hongchang tomorrow. We’ll pass by Ferrara along the way. Do you want to join us?”
Song Ke was straightforward, “I don’t have money.”
“Friend! Talking about money hurts feelings, especially in the apocalypse, we should all help each other. But if we encounter zombies, you have to help us fight, okay?”
Song Ke smiled faintly, “Sure, I’m strong.”
“Hahaha, you’re quite confident!” The three burst into laughter.
This team with an average level of only D-level might never know that they once used their extraordinary luck to hire the strongest force in the Alliance, a super S-level awakener, as their free bodyguard.
*
District C72, Ferrara.
Song Ke strolled through the streets in the late night, passing various humanoid AI and creatively dressed AIs. Despite hiding her face, she didn’t stand out.
A redhead girl on the street was sobbing uncontrollably, her vines ability tightly embracing a high-end sign: “Qinghe… wuwuwu, my Qinghe…”
“What’s wrong with Chihori? Why is she going crazy?”
“Haven’t you heard? Luo Qinghe announced his retirement from the music industry, planning to enter politics just like Ilya.”
“Oh my! Won’t his girlfriend-fans be devastated?”
“Of course, look at Ilya; he hasn’t shown his face in a year.”
The elegant gentleman Luo Qinghe, now Ferrara’s most popular virtual idol, his withdrawal meant tonight would be a sleepless night for many heartbroken fans.
Song Ke adjusted her hat brim and continued forward. The clamor of advertisements drifted by:
“Annual Throne Race Competition is open for registration!”
“Completely reshuffling the top ten emerging stars, reviewing those top idols that disappeared over the years.”
On the crystal-clear floating screen, a female star with a princess-style pink dress sat amidst a sea of flowers. The voiceover introduced her as Lin Youyou, one of the former emerging stars, with hit songs like “Thank You for Loving Me” and “Light Rain” with billions of views on StarNet. Fans were worried about her situation due to her prolonged absence.
Song Ke stopped, staring at the sweet face for a couple of seconds.
Seemingly familiar, yet something was off. Was it the smile?
At the entrance of the luxurious Sycara Theatre, an AI in a tailcoat warmly greeted her, “Beautiful lady, would you like to attend a unique concert tonight? Special floating VIP tickets are only 3,888 Alliance coins.”
“I don’t have money,” Song Ke sighed softly, as if she had been repeating this sentence all along.
The AI’s expression changed instantly, mocking and fluctuating as it said, “Oh~ that’s truly unfortunate. Art also has its thresholds; to experience the most immersive and safe audio-visual feast, one must pay the price.”
Song Ke wasn’t angered; a subtle curve appeared at the corner of her mouth, “Does false advertising also come with a price?”
The AI hesitated for half a second, “Artificial intelligence only speaks the truth, please refrain from defamation…”
“We had zombies underneath us,” Song Ke interrupted. “Didn’t you mention the ‘safest’ place? There was a huge group of zombies. Is that your definition of ‘safest’?”
The AI froze in place, error messages beeping. The greeter’s data had been updated, and this one clearly lacked the memories of its predecessor.
Song Ke patted its shoulder, humming a tune off-key, and continued on her way, hiding her merit and fame.
At the deserted administrative desk in the awakener center, Song Ke knocked on the table.
“Hello, I want to reissue my documents.”
The staff on duty was a glasses-wearing girl. Upon hearing the voice, she quickly sat up, using one hand to turn off Ilya’s cherished edition stage highlights, her expression serious as she briskly tapped the keyboard.
“Name and ID, please.”
“Song Ke, I don’t remember the ID.”
“Song Ke… Song Ke… Found it!” The girl rubbed her tired eyes, taking in a sharp breath.
